Chiefs blitz: Last preseason game ugly for KC reserves

The Green Bay Packers’ Myles White (right) tries to get past the Kansas City Chiefs’ Phillip Gaines in the first half of Thursday’s game.
Mike Roemer
AP

The Green Bay Packers’ Myles White (right) tries to get past the Kansas City Chiefs’ Phillip Gaines in the first half of Thursday’s game.
Mike Roemer
AP

Do tell the truth

1. So, um … what are we supposed to make of that?

What an ugly game for the Chiefs. Seriously. They didn’t run any of their good plays, but neither did the Packers. Both teams were very vanilla, scheme-wise, so the game basically came down to one-on-one match ups, and you can certainly say the Packers’ reserves were superior to the Chiefs’ in just about every respect. In general, you would have liked to see the backups perform better. Expect Chiefs general manager John Dorsey to churn over the bottom of that roster.

2. So is this an indication of things to come or not?

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Not necessarily. But it is certainly somewhat worrisome that the Chiefs were so outclassed over the last three weeks. The offensive line was a question mark during training camp, and nothing has happened to ease those concerns. The secondary, on the other hand, has shown improvement. Marcus Cooper has quietly put together a good preseason, and after the penalty-fests of the first two weeks, the corners — outside of rookie Phillip Gaines, who will need some time to develop — were a little less grabby than before. Add in the fact the defense could still be pretty good, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid is still calling plays, and it’s too early to predict a disastrous season. But these guys bear watching

3. Speaking of Gaines, what should be made of his performance?

Gaines certainly had a rough game, but it’s not a total surprise. He’s a guy they’ll need to mold into a good player. The physical skills are there, so for now, don’t freak out — he’s the fifth guy in the cornerback rotation, anyway. But it’s up to the Chiefs’ coaching staff to get the most out of him, and yes, it will be a concern if he isn’t contributing by mid-October.

4. What did Tyler Bray’s performance prove?

Bray’s roller-coaster preseason continued. After looking very bad on a drive in which he was picked off trying to throw a short slant to A.J. Jenkins, Bray came right back and connected with Jenkins on a gorgeous go-route down the sideline off play-action for 45 yards. This led to the Chiefs’ only touchdown of the half, a 2-yard touchdown pass from Bray to Richard Gordon. Bray’s arm talent will keep him in the league for a while, and he again offered some glimpses of why the Chiefs might be tempted to keep trying to develop him.

5. What about the penalties?

The Chiefs were whistled for a ridiculous 14 penalties for 131 yards, just one week after racking up only two. It was a big step back on that front, reminiscent of the Carolina game, when they compiled 13 penalties for 131 yards. This is a trend that cannot continue if the Chiefs, who will face a significantly harder schedule this season, hope to avoid taking a step back after a 11-5 season in 2013.

The number

20 The number of projected offensive and defensive starters who did not get the start for the Chiefs on Thursday, because Reid elected to rest them and play his reserves.

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